“The Battle for The Valley”. Tifo, identità, mobilitazione sociale e politica: il caso del Charlton Athletic (1985-1992)

Abstract

Using, among other sources, the «Voice of the Valley», the independent football fanzine of the Charlton Athletic supporters, this article reconstructs the events that preceded and followed the establishment of the Valley Party, the political list that the Addicks fans presented in the elections for the Greenwich Borough Council in May 1990. This mobilisation was a response to the rejection by the local Labour authorities of the refurbishment plans of the Floy Royd stadium, forcibly abandoned five years earlier by the decision of the club owners. The “Battle for The Valley”, a place of cultural and collective significance for supporters and the local community, represents a relevant case study not only in this respect but also provides some food for thoughts for the study of collective emotions and interesting insights on the process of modernization, homologation and “gentrification” of professional football during its decisive transition from ‘modern’ to “post-modern” phenomenon.

Keywords

• charlton athletic
• fandoms
• football
• football cultural identity
• football fanzines.
• calcio
• fanzine
• identità culturale
• tifo.